Brief

This rapid compilation of data analyses provides a ‘stock-take’ of social science and behavioural data related to the on-going outbreak of Ebola in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. Based on data gathered and analysed by organisations working in the Ebola response and in the region more broadly, it explores convergences and divergences between datasets and, when possible, differences by geographic area, demographic group, time period and other relevant variables.

Data sources are listed at the end of the document. This is the third data synthesis brief produced by the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (SSHAP) and focuses on data published between February and May 2019. It builds on the previous two data synthesis briefs, the first focusing on data from August-October 2018, and the second on data from November 2018 to January 2019.

At the time of publication (as of 23 June 2019), 2,247 cases had been reported (2,153 confirmed and 94 probable) and 1,510 deaths (of which 1,416 confirmed and 94 probable). The overall case fatality ratio (as of 16 June 2019) was 67%, a rise from 59% at the start of February 2019. The majority of cases identified in February-May were from the health zones of Katwa, Mabalako, Mandima, Butembo, Kalunguta, Musienene and Beni. There appeared to be a significant increase in the number of cases during this period due to a backlog of reporting resulting from interruptions to response activities in which teams were unable to access multiple affected communities due to security reasons. Key performance indicators on response activities are routinely collected by the Ministry of Health and WHO. This brief was prepared by Kevin Bardosh (University of Washington), Ingrid Gercama and Juliet Bedford (Anthrologica), with support from SSHAP and GOARN Research Social Science Group. Feedback was also provided by colleagues from UNICEF, WHO, IFRC, the US CDC, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI), Oxfam, Translators without Borders (TwB), Interpeace and Novetta.